Forceps for fastening clasps on hoop-skirts



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEO. D. RUSSELL, SAML. A. RUSSELL, AND' CHAS. L. RUSSELL, OF BIRMINGHAM, CONNECTICUT.

FORCEPS FOR FASTENING CLASPS ON HOOP-SKIRTS.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE D. RUSSELL, SAMUEL A. RUSSELL, and CHaRLEs L. RUS- SELL, all of Birmingham, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Instrument for Fastening Metal Clasps upon Skirt-Hoops or other Articles; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figures 1 and 2, are side views of the instrument taken at right angles to each other. Fig. 3, is a perspective view of a piece of hoop and two clasps one of which is shown in the condition in which it is applied to the hoop and the other as having been fastened.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

Our instrument consists of a pair of pliers whose jaws are provided with recesses and lips and with a lever or wedge like attachment operating in combination with the said lips as hereinafter described to close the ears of the clasps upon the hoop.

To ena-ble ot-hers to make and use our instrument we will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A, A, are the jaws of the instrument fitted together' and jointed by a pin a., and furnished with handles C, C, like a pair of common pliers. The said jaws differ from those of common pliers in having recesses b 79. made in their faces which leave a lip c, at the extremity of each. The said lips nearly meet each other when the jaws close as near as they are permitted in which condition of the jaws the opening formed by the two recesses l), b, is nearly as wide as the exterior of the clasp is when closed.

In the jaw A, there is a slot to receive the end of a flat piece of Steel B, which partakes of the characters of a lever and of a wedge, and which is attached to the said jaw by a joint pin z', passing through the slot. In the other jaw A', there is a longer slot CZ, (see Fig. 2.) through which the piece B, passes and which also contains behind the said Specification of Letters Patent No. 22,308, dated December 14, 1858.

piece B, an antifriction roller e, which is free to turn on a pin j passing through the said slot. The piece B, has the edge nearest the lips c, c, straight and the edge next t-he friction roller curved or tapered like a wedge, and at the extremity which protrudes through the jaw A', there is a pin j, which limits the opening of the aws beyond a sufiicient width to receive the open clasp between the lips c, c. The space left between the straight edge of the piece B, and the lips c, c, when the jaws are closed and the piece B, resting against the roller e, is just sufl cient to contain the closed clasp. The inner sides of the lips c, c, are beveled so that their edges set inward toward the piece B.

In Fig. 3, g, is the hoop and 7L, L, are the clasps, 7L, being represented open in the condition in which it is manufactured for application to the clasp viz. with ears 4, 4, at right angles to its central portion or body and 71.', being represented as having been closed by the nippers.

The operation of the instrument is as follows. It is held in the right hand with the jaws opened as far as permitted as shown in Fig. 1, in red outline, while the hoop with the clasp applied as shown at It, Fig. 2, is placed between the lips with the body of the clasp against the piece B, and it is then closed b v grasping the handles tightly. The approach of the lips causes them to turn the ears 4, 4, of the clasp over the hoop while the piece B, by its inclined or curved edge passing in contact with the. roller e, is forced toward the lips in such a manner as to make theln press the ears 4, 4, closely upon the face of the hoop as shown at L, in Fig. 3, and also by the black outline in Fig. l. The bevel on the inside of the lips causes them to press closest upon the extremities of the ears 4, 4, so as to make them indent themselves into the covering of the hoop when the hoop has a covering. A fixed bearing might be provided for the piece B, in place of the roller e, but it is preferable to have a roller.

This instrument saves much time in the application of the clasps as with the instruments heretofore used two operations are necessary viz. one to turn over the ears and another to press them down upon the face i combination with the said lips substantially of the hoop, While With this instrument all as described.

is done by one operation. GEORGE D, RUSSELL,

That We claim as our invention and de- SAMUEL A. RUSSELL. 5 sire to secu-re by Letters Paten-t., is CHARLES L. RUSSELL.

The pliers having their jaws provided with Witnesses recesses I), Z), and lips c, o, and with a lever CHARLES LOWRIE, or Wedge like attachment B, to operate in FOSTER P. ABBOTT. 

